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Researchers found that certain herbs and plants commonly used in Mediterranean diets can help protect against cardiovascular diseases. (alicja neumiler/Shutterstock) ******************************************************************** In a nutshell * Six Mediterranean plants—garlic, hawthorn, saffron, olive, rosemary, and grape—contain powerful compounds that work together to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol, and protect blood vessels. Their multitargeted effects mimic some drug mechanisms but with fewer side effects when consumed as part of a healthy diet. * The real strength of the Mediterranean diet may lie in how these foods interact. Pairings like olive oil with leafy greens or garlic with fatty fish could boost...

The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage—carnosic acid—for its impact on Alzheimer's disease. Carnosic acid is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that works by activating enzymes that make up the body's natural defense system. Scientists have now synthesized a stable form, diAcCA. This compound is fully converted to carnosic acid in the gut before being absorbed into the bloodstream. The research showed that when diAcCA was used to treat mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, it achieved therapeutic doses of carnosic acid in the...

A team found evidence that the herb rosemary could be a two-pronged weapon against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The scientists found that the compound, carnosic acid, can block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 outer "spike" protein and the receptor protein, ACE2, which the virus uses to gain entry to cells. The team presented evidence carnosic acid has a separate effect inhibiting a powerful inflammatory pathway—a pathway active in severe COVID-19 as well as Alzheimer's. "We think that carnosic acid is worth investigating as a potentially cheap, safe, and effective treatment for COVID-19 and some other inflammation-related disorders," says...

Scientists on Monday revealed part of the secret to why a small village in southern Italy has an unusual number of centenarians - low levels of a particular hormone that affects circulation. Italian and US experts have spent the last six months investigating the extraordinary longevity of residents of Acciaroli, where more than one in 10 - 81 at the mayor's last count - of the village's population of 700 is over 100 years old.

The spry supercentenarian was born on November 29, 1899, making her the only person whose life has touched three centuries. In a 2015 interview with the New York Times, Morano shared that she attributes her long life to eating three raw eggs a day — she has since gone down to two eggs a day — since she was in her teens (a doctor recommended it for anemia...)

Diet rich in rosemary linked to good health and long life expectancy in Italian village Medical experts will examine pensioners living in Acciaroli near Salerno. They have remarkable record for living for longer but also free of disease. Population of a few thousand has about 300 people who are aged over 100 Mediterranean diet, fresh air and walking thought to influence long lives...

Are Heinz employees working on the campaign? A series of e-mails made available to crushkerry.com may mean trouble for the Kerry campaign and the family of charities collectively known as the Heinz Family Philanthropies. The e-mails show employees of the various Heinz Family Philanthropies are deeply involved in John Kerry’s campaign for president, specifically in the recruitment of a speech coach, campaign scheduling, campaign organization, and even the setting up of a healthcare town hall-style meeting.The Heinz Family Philanthropies are tax-exempt charitable organizations and are forbidden to engage in partisan political activity. The e-mails could become more evidence in what...